S Club Mama

Since I've been a mom, I've been concerned over cooking things properly for my children. Is the baby food mushy enough? Is the formula too cold? Are the grapes cut small enough? However, I've never used a food thermometer to check the temperature of meat. Well, enough of that! I got myself a Cave Tools digital thermometer. Not having a thermometer for so long, it does take some discipline for me to use it (mostly to remember I have it to use). I have been using my Instant Pot a lot since the baby's birth and that's given me time and space to use the thermometer. I plan to start making my own yogurt in my Instant Pot so this is going to come in handy for making sure the milk is at a high enough temperature and then cooled to a low enough temperature in that process.  way hot enough for chicken   I like how sleek it is; it doesn't take up much room in my overflowing kitchen drawers.  The thermometer is 100% stainless steel, waterproof, shatterproof.  I k...

After my fourth baby was born this summer, I've started to have my biggest boy, who is 11, get food out of the oven for me. He doesn't have the most grace so this was a leap for me. I just hate for him to burn himself. Needless to say, having the opportunity to have these Cave Tool BBQ gloves was great! These BBQ gloves are thick and have this red silicone parts so he's not going to have something hot slip from his hands. He did spill fries getting them out last week but that was his inexperienced grace. Oops! I love that the light weight flame retardant aramid fiber part of these that extends way past my wrist (and his) so no real chance of a forearm burn. They are flexible and have a great grip! It doesn't feel hot at all when I'm reaching in. Do be careful if your gloves get wet; these gloves are not waterproof. So steam and hot liquids can still burn you through the gloves (like most oven mitts).  My husband has huge hands and the...

My supper club (in which we freeze meals and switch at the end of the month for more variety) has slowly evolved from casseroles to meals in a bag (aka slow cooker meals). It's just so convenient to slop things into a crockpot, turn it on (which is an important part that I've forgotten a few times), and walk away for a few hours. I've made tapioca, pasta, cobbler, roasts, soups, and maybe some other stuff in our crockpot. My newest recipe to try was from " The Great American Slow Cooker Book " by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough: biscuits and sausage gravy. I love me a good biscuit with some sausage gravy! And I love that I could make it during the week when we had a t-ball game so we could come home to a meal. image via website I threw all the stuff into the crockpot before we left. One feature of this cookbook I appreciate is that there are conversions in the ingredient list for different sized slow cookers. For instance, for these biscuits, if you wer...

I officially rock at making homemade (baked) doughnuts! Well, at least me and the kids think so... and really, that's all that counts! Perhaps it was the great recipe/instructions I found on Pinterest.

Last Friday, I wanted to try this chicken and dumplings recipe.  And it's not exactly like I have a free moment to myself often, especially to try new recipes. So, what's a mother to do? Let the boys help me make supper!! although there was slight throwing of flour, Moose is practicing VBS songs. They, of course, liked the flour the best. And I really never mind a mess (at least not one that can't be swept or wiped up). I gave them spatulas and had them lift up the dumplings after I cut them. I can't say they were beautiful but it did turn out delicious! How is it the one that joins the party late gets the messiest? And that one always ends up on the counter? This child loves to help me. I can't ask for a better helper. Daddy took the boys outside to be pounded like erasers (or maybe just wiped). And I think Casper paid me a visit.  What sweet little feet. Do you let your children help in the kitchen? Did...